25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
9:25
not that He should offer Himself often [on the cross],
Christ could not operate within the Levitical system, for then He would have had to repeatedly offer Himself as a sacrifice. No, He offered Himself once for all. His one-time sacrifice was enough to deal with the sin issue for all time and for all people.
as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—
The high priest of the Old Testament did not offer his own blood but the blood of animal sacrifices. Christ offered His own blood.
9:26
He then
A hypothetical conclusion (second class condition of contrary to the fact) is now drawn from the previous verse.
would have had to suffer often
Christ did not offer many sacrifices like the priests of the Old Testament but one final sacrifice. To offer Himself many times is an absurd conclusion. No, He suffered once and for all people.
since the foundation of the world;
The “foundation of the world” is when creation began.
but now,
Now that Christ has become our Mediator.
once at the end of the ages,
The “end of the ages” is the time when Christ appeared. His coming climaxed the end of the old economy and brought in a new covenant. Christ’s suffering was once for all without any need of repetition. The “end” or consummation of the ages is Christ’s death at Calvary. The consummation was His once and final death to pay for sins. He does not perpetually pay for sins, but He paid for them once for all.
The one sacrifice of Christ on the cross marked the end of the age of Israel. The Levitical system reached its consummation with Christ’s death. He did not have to sacrifice for sin throughout the ages from the beginning of creation.
The “end of the ages” is the time Christ fulfilled all the prophecies and types to become the Antitype, the reality to which all the prophecies and types pointed.
He has appeared [manifested] to put away [abolish] sin
The Greek here is “He has been manifested,” indicating Christ’s historical death on the cross. Jesus paid for our sins by His death (He 2:17). By this action, He “put away” or removed the sin issue before God forever (He 1:3; 9:28; 1 Jn 3:5).
“Sin” is in the singular—all sins of men of every age. Christ paid for their sin at one fell swoop (Jn 1:29).
The idea of “putting away sin” is the annulment of the sin issue in God’s eyes. There is no need for further sacrifice.
by the sacrifice of Himself.
Christ personally sacrificed Himself. The words “of Himself” are emphatic—no being offered its blood other than Jesus.
PRINCIPLE:
Christ’s work was final and voluntary.
APPLICATION:
The death of Christ was the final payment for sin. His death could happen only once in history. It never needed repetition. His one sacrifice is adequate for continual access to God.
The “offering” (v. 25) and the “suffering” (v. 26) of Christ are inseparable. He offered Himself to God by His suffering. He was both the Mediator and the sacrifice.
